We’re just a couple days away from the start of the NFL season!!! We are so back and I personally couldn’t be happier. This offseason felt so long, but I literally feel my fan-filled personality defrosting from the hiatus. And now that we’re back, I wanted to share a curated list of game-day essentials.

This will be the last post of the beginner’s guide to the NFL series so if you’re still catching up or just need a refresher, check out some of the previous posts here:

:)

One of my favorite things about football is that it’s such a social sport, and there are so many ways to enjoy game day. Most of the time, I stay at home, watching the game in my red-light therapy mask and eating sushi, but going to the stadium to watch live or attending a watch party at a friend’s house are also really great ways to watch.

No matter the location, you can always make game-day special in your own way.

I broke the essentials down by scenario:

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game day from home or a friend’s place

• Order your favorite takeout or cook your favorite meal at home

  • If you’re heading to a friend’s, bring something to share: snacks, drinks, or a home-baked treat. A fresh batch of cookies topped with your favorite ice cream flavor is always a classic. My entire family loves the vanilla and cookie dough flavors from Ice Cream for Bears (so good).

• and of course, rep your favorite player’s jersey all day (it’s always going to be Jalen Hurts for me)

It’s all about the little details for an at home game-day for me.

And If you’re watching with your person, you can do something special at the start of the season. I love the idea of putting together a game day basket with favorite snacks, drinks and little trinkets you find online. <3

game day at the stadium

I always say no matter where you watch, the company around you matters the most, but nothing bottles up game-day energy quite like being at the stadium.

I’ve actually never been to an NFL game yet (that changes this season), but I did a little research for both of us to prep and make the experience as smooth as possible.

Starting off with a cute (and practical) outfit, a lot of my current favorite NFL pieces come from Off Season Brand and Abercrombie. Their collections are pretty minimalistic, which is my personal favorite way to rep my team.

• Buy a clear bag (most stadiums require this for safety reasons) - Coach has a cute one, but you can buy one off of amazon that works just as well. I would just make sure to check that the dimensions match your specific stadium.

  • Also, check any event emails for logistics with parking and different entrances.

• Comfortable shoes, there’s going to be a huge crowd and more walking involved (tailgating, getting to your seat, bathroom lines, concessions). I would think ahead about weather because stadiums are also basically outdoors and comfort make a huge difference in the entire experience.

• A fully charged phone (and a portable charger) for photos, videos and tickets. In case of any reception gaps, it’s also good to pre-download your tickets on your phone.

@symonewiththesports8 tips for your NFL game #symonewiththesports #nfl #nflfootball #nflgame #nflgameday

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If you made it to the end of the series, thank you so much for reading.

Football was a sport I fell in love with as an adult and it’s so much more than just the scoreboard. It teaches you life lessons about discipline, support, perseverance, and it’s such a reminder that sports and life are more similar than we might think.

So whether you leave this season with new friends from a fanbase you picked, a new favorite player, or just something to look forward to on Sundays, the most important thing is that you have fun and create memories with the people you love.

And as an extra special token of appreciation, I’m gifting a “Women Know Ball” hat to any subscriber. To enter, just like this post by Tuesday, September 8th @ 11:59 PM EDT, and I’ll announce a winner on game day (September 9th).

There are so many incredible people on this app, women in sports especially, who deserve to be seen.

This one’s for you <3

Welcome back to a beginner’s guide to the NFL series and this is the post i’m the most excited about, partially because my team’s identity has truly become part of my personality. If you missed the first two posts of the series you can read the archive where, we went over why we watch football and the basics.

But, before I talk about how to pick your team, the scale of the NFL clubs are huge. There are 32 teams in the league, split into two big groups, the NFC and the AFC. All of the teams are organized into smaller groups called divisions. The best part about those divisions is that every team in your division plays each other twice a year, once at home and once away. It creates this built-in rivalry that gets really intense because at the end of the day, your team’s success usually comes at the direct expense of the other teams in your group, which makes those matchups wildly competitive.

Understanding the how the league is set up is pretty simple, but the hardest part about following football can be finding your team. There is no single right way to do it, but here are the three easiest and quickest paths you can take before the season starts:

check your home team first

This usually makes the most sense because it’s the easiest to watch locally and get to home games logistically. So if you live in New York, the Giants are huge here. If you live in Philly, the Eagles fandom is something you’re basically born into. But every once in a while, you get people like me who have a popular home team, and accidentally choose a favorite team that’s (luckily) just an Amtrak ride away (go birds). It’s always nice to root for your home team because it’s also easier to find community on game days.

follow a team’s player you already like

If you don’t want to choose your home team, you can also pick a team because of a player you’re already rooting for. Remember those quarterbacks we talked about last week? If you love watching a specific player, let him be your entry into the fandom. Football is fast and chaotic, and locking onto a single player you already love makes watching a game every week so much easier.

bonus option: borrow a friend, family member or boyfriend’s team

Simple but effective. It’s a huge pro because you’ll always have someone to text during the game and share snacks with <3

Beyond just the cities and the players, every single fanbase in the NFL has its own distinct personality. Some fanbases are more calm and community-focused, while others treat every Sunday like it’s the Super Bowl.

At the end of the day, whether you’re adopting a team for location, a borrowed family tradition, a favorite player, or just because you like a fanbase, the only thing that matters is that you have fun.

Welcome to part 1 of a beginner’s guide to the NFL. Last week was a sweet introduction to why watching sports can be fun.

But this week we’re getting into the actual basics of football so you’re not totally lost once the game’s actually in session.

Most of us have watched sports at least once in our lives and if you’re familiar with basketball or baseball, the great news is that the main goal is always exactly the same: score more points than the other team.

It just looks a little different here because football is a high-contact game on a massive 100-yard field where everyone’s wearing cute jerseys, helmets, and pads to stay safe.

The unique thing about football is that every player has a specific role on either the offense (the players trying to score) or the defense (the players trying to stop the other team from scoring). Unlike basketball, your offense and defense are never out there at the same time. When your team has the ball, that means the offense is on the field and the defense hangs out on the sidelines. When the other team gets the ball, your defense will now be able to play, meaning teams are constantly changing players in and out depending on who has possession of the ball.

When your team has the ball, the offense gets four attempts to move it ten yards down the field. Each attempt is called a “down.” If you gain those ten yards within four downs, the count resets and you get four fresh chances to gain the next ten yards. If you don’t, it then becomes the other team’s turn to try and score with the same rules.

That’s why the game pauses every few seconds. Each stop is usually the end of one down and the start of the next. It’s also why you’ll hear things like “third and four,” which just means it’s the third down and there are four more yards left to go out of ten total. And while the game clock is only an hour (15 minutes per quarter), you’re actually watching for about three, because of all the time it takes to set up each down.

Now that you know the rules, scoring is really simple for football. All you really need to know is that a touchdown is 6 points, which just means that the team was able to get to the end of the field inside what’s called “the end zone.” I like to call it the celebration zone because a lot of players do a little dance there or interact with fans. After a touchdown, the team also gets a bonus try to kick the ball through the goalposts for 1 extra point.

The other way to score is a field goal, which is 3 points. When your team isn’t close enough to the end zone for a touchdown but is close enough to kick it through the goalposts, they’ll take that instead, because some points are better than no points.

I know that can be a lot, but I promise that’s about it. If you made it this far, so proud of you. That is pretty much all you ever need to know about the actual rules of the game to survive a Sunday watch party. It really took me so much time when I first started learning to understand the “downs” specifically, but it’s a lot of fun once you get into the strategy and different ways teams try to score.

One of my favorite parts of football is that gradually you’ll also find yourself drawn to specific players. For now though, the only position I’d recommend knowing is the quarterback, the player who leads each team’s offense (the side trying to score).

So when you think of popular players like Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow or Josh Allen, they’re pretty much the face of each franchise. Not everyone on the team touches the ball every play, but the quarterback almost always does. They’re the one throwing it, handing it off, or running with it themselves, so nearly every chance to make points starts with them.

Analysts compare quarterbacks constantly, so it’s easy to assume they’re facing each other, but they’re never actually on the field at the same time. They’re really just taking turns, trying to outplay each other against the defensive players, which comes down to their own skill and how many wins they can get their team.

Don’t worry if you don’t remember any of this right away. You don’t need to know every little detail to enjoy the game, the snacks, and the company. Any extent of the game is fun, and you learn with time.

And if you’d rather watch than read, I learned from Hoops for Hotties and she does a great job explaining it for the girls <3

Next week is the fun one: picking your team.

:)

I can’t believe it’s already August and summer is officially coming to a quick end soon. While I think it's important to live in the moment, I could not be happier that fall is around the corner, because it's the start of football season (yay!!!).

If you know me, you know I'm a massive football fan, specifically an Eagles fan (go birds!!!), and this is genuinely my favorite time of the year.

While following the NBA and other sports more closely have been such a joy, it’s taught me that missing a sport actually makes you fall for it all over again. There’s a ton of patience required during the NFL offseason, especially if your team doesn’t make the playoffs, because then you’re looking at nearly six months without them. But then training camp rolls around, and the excitement comes back all over again.

So I wanted to make a little NFL starter pack series for the month of August, because I remember exactly what it felt like to not know anything about football, but wanting to learn it. And if you’re new, it’s honestly just so fun learning with someone.

But before we get into this series, one of the things I love about the NFL (and sports in general) is that the industry is ever-evolving and has become so much more than just scores and stats. There are so many different reasons to watch, whether it’s for community, tradition, or a little fun competition. It’s an entire culture now, one that overlaps with fashion, wellness, business, and more. It’s also one of the only places where it’s genuinely easy to make friends. We saw this during the Knicks’ run, where culture and sports overlapped in the best way. Being an athlete or a fan today means participating in something much bigger than the game itself.

Take my personal favorite, Jalen Hurts, as the perfect example. Even if you have never watched a single Eagles game, there is a good chance you have heard his name. Maybe you saw him in a Jordan commercial, spotted him on a box of Wheaties in the grocery aisle, or caught an interview clip so quotable it naturally made its way onto your social media timeline. That’s the world we’re in now. You don’t have to fully understand the stats to recognize the person or the sport, and honestly, to me, that’s a completely valid way to fall into a fandom. Start with a person you like watching, and the rules eventually have a way of following. And who knows, you might even end up meeting your favorite player one day:

Football was always on in my house growing up, but I never really understood what was happening. My real journey started with a work competition where I somehow managed to hit the leaderboard three weeks in a row. I picked the Eagles as my team before I realized my home team, the Giants, were their direct rivals. I’m sharing this because it’s okay if you didn’t grow up with sports. Sometimes that’s the beauty of joining a sports community as an adult. Regardless of how you start, you end up in the same place: genuinely caring about something you never expected to love.

Finding my own way into football as an adult has also been such a cool way to look back and connect to all those hours I spent watching with my brothers growing up. It made me realize that my late arrival to the game was not a disadvantage, but a fresh perspective on a landscape that is finally making room for everyone. If you ever need a reminder that sports belong to the girls too, just look at the industry right now. Some of the best football content I’ve watched did not come from a major network. It came from women who decided to start talking about the sport they loved, and in some cases, working in it too. Broadcasters, creators, journalists, and scouts are showing up in every corner of this industry, not just as an exception, but as proof that we belong.

@spicywasianReady for year 3 in the NFL 🏈 #womeninsports

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So, as we start the series, maybe you end up picking a favorite player, having a Sunday tradition, or meeting a new friend group built around a shared team.

Regardless, I am so happy you are here. Remember, the only way to explore something new is to be willing to start as a beginner, the same way we all did at one point.

:)

So welcome to my section, friend. Next week we’ll get started with the basics <3

healthy-ish NFL starter pack snacks

• Lesser Evil Popcorn- the himalayan gold flavor reminds me of an organic version of movie theater popcorn (which i love!!!).

• Boulder Sea Salt Kettle Chips - these are made with only three ingredients (potatoes, avocado oil, and sea salt). i really love that they used avocado oil, which is anti-inflammatory, and these chips are also great inside of a Jersey Mike’s sandwich.

• Ice Cream for Bears - in all honesty, i eat one of these almost every week because it is so good and all the ingredients are natural. i’ve been loving the cookie dough flavor, but classic vanilla is always a staple. if you end up making cookies or brownies, vanilla is also just the perfect topper.

game day fits

• Off season Philadelphia Eagles sweater - I have so many pieces from this brand already, and they are definitely game-day staples in my closet. The quality is always really good, and right now I’m looking into some new cozy ones for fall.

• Philadelphia Eagles Jeans - I actually have these jeans and I love how subtle the Eagles logo placement is. It’s such an effortless way to rep the team. If you get them too, we can be twins. so cute <3

Happy Fanatics Fest weekend! If you’re unfamiliar with Fanatics Fest, it’s basically a massive multi-day sports event based here in NYC. Think of it like an anime lover’s Comic-Con, just an active weekend of sports activations, panels, athlete meet and greets, games, and anything else you can think of.

We went on opening day to get a first look, and the scale of it was massive. Food trucks were parked everywhere, the lines were long, but the energy kept things moving. We really wanted to catch the Knicks and Aaron Judge podcast crossover, but the crowd was so big we couldn’t get anywhere near the stage.

Still, there were some genuine hidden gems in the chaos. We waited over an hour just to play the new Call of Duty, and somehow it still felt worth it. We also played mini-games at the AMEX Sports House, which was branded so well across their F1, NFL, and NBA partnerships that it barely felt like an ad. It just felt like part of the culture. Powerade was also handing out samples in a further, low-key corner of the event which ended up being the perfect little oasis.

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Basically here’s what I took away from it, and to be completely honest, this review is on the shorter side because most of my actual time was spent waiting in those lines. Fanatics Fest is one of those experiences that’s worth doing once just to witness the sheer scale. But you have to go in with a game plan, brace yourself for a sea of people, and stay flexible when the thing you wanted to do the most isn’t the thing you end up doing.

There is absolutely no way you can experience all of this in one day, which is probably why it is a multiple-day event. You really need that extra time just to pace yourself.

It really reminded me that sports fandom isn’t one size fits all.

Some fans genuinely thrive in the loud, chaotic energy of a massive convention floor. Others, including me, will always prefer a more curated, intentional experience. Because of the scale of an event like this, everyone’s Fanatics Fest experience is going to look and feel completely different. And that is okay too. Neither reaction is wrong.

It’s easy to assume that the more you pay for an experience, the more value you should get out of it. But to be fair, nothing can beat spending $25 for a Barnes & Nobles book signing event to meet Jalen Hurts, or the $50 I spent to see the Yankees break a few home run records at Yankee Stadium. Both were completely different levels of experience compared to the $70 I spent here.

It’s just a perfect reminder that great experiences aren’t just about the price tag, they are about the actual quality of the connection.

I mean, someone mentioned that the entire Fanatics floor layout basically looked like a sports-themed IKEA (not my words, but the words of another fan who was in line with me). And honestly, looking back at the crowd navigation, they weren’t entirely wrong.

I definitely think I’ve officially checked this massive event off my list, but it left me thinking about how many different ways there are for sports and brands to actually meet fans where they are.

On the bright side, other than the couple of activations I enjoyed, just having that laugh about the IKEA comparison made the entire trip better.

out my cart

• “Women Know Ball” Dad Hat - one of the most accurate statements to put on a hat and so cute!!!

• Loonen Water - i’ve seen this brand online everywhere and decided to try it. Loonen’s water is spring-sourced, certified free of microplastics, and bottled completely in glass.

Today’s letter is about a very special and smart partnership between the clean beauty brand, Saie and the New York Knicks.

To understand why this works, you have to look at the heart of Saie. Laney Crowell built this brand on the beautiful mission of feeling good and doing good. It is a company that truly listens, living by the philosophy that their community is their co-creator. Whether they are excluding thousands of ingredients to prioritize safety, or using their platform to champion reproductive justice, Saie doesn’t just make makeup. They focus on safe skincare as the foundation of beauty, designed for everyone, from the teenager dealing with a breakout to her wise, glowing grandmother who models for their campaigns.

The spark for this partnership was purely organic. It traces back to two years ago, when Laney was at a game at Madison Square Garden. Her team was deep in development for their new setting spray, and as she watched the Knicks City Dancers take center court, the name CitySet finally clicked. It’s such a beautiful reminder that inspiration is truly everywhere.

But during that same game, Laney had a second moment of clarity. She looked around the arena and noticed that while thousands of women were deeply invested in the game, moms, friends, and fans on dates, the brands appearing on the jumbotron were largely ignoring them. It was a white space hiding in plain sight. She realized that while these women were completely locked in and lit up by the atmosphere of the Garden, not a single brand was speaking to them directly.

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From the Saie Office

The Story Behind Our Knicks Partnership

We have big plans for tonight: Cheering on the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals—and we could not be more excited…

Read more

3 months ago · 47 likes · 6 comments · From the Saie Office

That observation turned into the first official beauty partnership in the franchise’s history. It is a powerful reminder that just because something has not been done before, it does not mean it is a bad idea. Often, the most successful moves are simply markets waiting to be explored by someone with the courage to look. As Laney put it, this ended up becoming one of their best partnerships, even though it felt like one of their riskiest bets going in.

It’s a masterclass in community architecture and being empathetic enough to be the brand who wants to not only make women feel beautiful, but also to feel seen in places they might not naturally expect. It’s proof that small details aren’t so small after all and the ripples of courage create tidal waves of impact in a market that is overlooked.

I was so excited when I saw this partnership. Watching sports is such a regular, ingrained part of my life, just like my makeup routine. As someone who deeply values wellness and clean beauty, seeing these two worlds finally exist alongside each other feels incredibly special.

This is the new reality of brand strategy. As more brands realize that sports live at the intersection of so many industries, like tech, fashion, wellness, and beauty, we are entering a new era of cross-collaboration. When you stop viewing your brand as a product and start viewing it as a cultural participant, you don’t just reach an audience. You become part of their identity.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just be buying pretty much all of the Saie products when the regular season is back.

Thanks for reading!

Inside the world of Saie

As much as we talk about the NFL and NBA here, I wanted to share a moment in tennis that really stood out to me lately from a 21 year old athlete, Alexandra Eala who just played at Wimbledon, the biggest tournament in tennis. She went into her match as a massive underdog against Iga Swiatek, a 2025 Wimbledon champion.

In case you don’t know Alex, she actually grew up in a basketball-dominant country, practicing after school on public courts in the Philippines with her grandpa. More basketballs bounce on neighborhood courts there in a day than tennis balls do in a month. She recently talked about how she used to show up to those practices as a little kid with chubby cheeks, ruffled socks, and light-up sneakers. There were no true grass courts to practice on back then. Instead, she spent her childhood playing on hard pavement that was built for basketball, adjusting her game around hoops hanging over her head.

On paper, a kid from a country without a major tennis history is not supposed to beat the best player in the world on Centre Court. But paper does not account for how bad someone wants it.

She didn’t just compete. She played with total, raw hunger, using her entire body in every sprint and sliding across the grass to stay in the game. She ended up pulling off a massive victory, becoming the first player from her country to ever make it this far in the tournament.

@wimbledon

It was a powerful reminder that sometimes you are not just doing it for yourself. When you step out there, you are representing an entire country of possibility. You’re paving a path for the young girls who will come after you, showing them what is possible all because you had the courage to try.

Watching her out there reminded me that sometimes we get so comfortable calculating our chances and waiting for perfectly safe conditions before we make a move.

Alex didn’t wait for a guaranteed victory. She made a difference because she was willing to dive for the ball, risk looking messy, and leave absolutely everything on the court.

The scrappiest wins are often the games people leave a bookmark on when referencing important, historic moments in your career.

It made me think about why I show up to [solidcore] every week. If you’ve ever taken a class, you know how brutal low-impact, high-intensity workouts can be. Except in that studio, the competition isn’t out on a field. It is entirely in your own mind, playing out against yourself.

Your muscles literally shake and those small movements become ways to get stronger. But I keep going back because it challenges my mind just as much as my body. In that studio, hitting muscle failure is not a sign of weakness, it is the mechanism required for growth. You have to break the muscle down to build it back stronger.

It’s a weekly practice in being scrappy and just showing up when things feel hard, because the win is in the quiet work as much as it is out on the field.

Regardless of what happens at the end of Wimbledon, you don’t need to win the final round to leave a permanent mark.

I hope this is a reminder that the magic is not just about holding a trophy at the end of the line. The magic is in being the type of person who refuses to leave the court with any regret whether you win or lose.

So as we head into this week, look at the things you’re building and don’t just wait for the easy path to open up.

Sometimes you have to play scrappy, put on your ruffled socks, lace up your light-up sneakers, and just dive it.

I’m writing this during the midst of a massive heat wave in New York. If you’re here too, hope you’re staying safe and hydrated while we wait for this to pass.

But speaking of heat, Boston literally just set the sports world on fire. Out of absolutely nowhere, they traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George and a couple of draft picks.

Honestly, when I saw this news come in I actually thought it was a prank. Why would anyone trade a five-time All-Star and the reigning NBA Finals MVP who just had the absolute best statistical season of his career? The media and fans are calling it one of the worst and most confusing trades in Boston sports history. So I guess I wasn’t completely alone in questioning it.

On a live stream after the news broke, Jaylen openly talked about the total lack of respect he felt from the organization that packed him up. It definitely feels like a bittersweet, shocking ending.

But what I love about Jaylen, and what really gets me beyond the game, is just how incredibly intelligent he is. He is one of those athletes where the second he sits down at a microphone or on a livestream, you stop what you’re doing because you just want to hear what he has to say. We are talking about a guy who literally turned down a NASA internship, lectured at Harvard at a very young age, and spends his summers teaching youth robotics classes. He is an absolute powerhouse of a human mind.

Even after getting packed up by management, Jaylen made it clear that his heart and his community roots, like his 7uice Foundation and all his work with local schools, stay with the people of Boston.

At the end of the day, a lot of us know exactly what it feels like to give your absolute everything to a job, a place, or a relationship, only to watch them let you go anyway. It stings, and it rarely makes sense in the moment.

But one thing I’ve learned is that being let go from a space that no longer values your worth is never the ending it feels like. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and Philadelphia is getting a hardworking, brilliant player who belongs in a city that embraces an authentic, unpolished hustle over a perfect storyline.

Plus, between Jaylen Brown and Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia officially may have a monopoly on the most profound quotes in sports history.

Welcome to Philly, JB.

Play the song?

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wellness tip

• Jaylen’s approach to change gives us a real-world wellness tip: lean into the discomfort.

  • When everything around you changes, the instinct is to run away from the awkward feelings or mask them with fake positivity. But the best thing you can do to adjust to change is to just sit with the friction.

And they 100% should.

Because sports are no longer just sports.

They’re culture, community and identity.

The Knicks making the Finals for the first time in 27 years isn’t just a basketball story. It’s a city-wide moment. And the brands that understand that are finding creative ways to become part of it.

If you’re a brand in New York right now and you’re not doing something Knicks-related, you’re missing a huge opportunity.

The most successful sports organizations and businesses today aren’t just selling products or building teams.

They’re building communities people want to explore.

If you know anything about sports fans, fandom is incredibly social.

Yes, there are downsides. Sometimes the rivalries go a little too far. But at its core, sports gives people something many of us are looking for: a place to belong.

A shared identity, a reason to talk to strangers, a reason to leave the house and a reason to care about something bigger than ourselves.

Sports happens to be one of the best vehicles for that.

At its best, fandom isn’t just about watching a game, it’s about participating in a moment.

What I’ve loved watching over the past few weeks isn’t just the Knicks. It’s how the entire city has responded to them.

And that’s exactly what smart brands understand.

They’re not really just selling coffee or cookies.

They’re selling participation and giving people another way to feel connected to the moment.

A Knicks-themed latte isn’t actually about the latte. It’s about walking into a coffee shop and instantly finding someone else who gets it.

An edible Knicks logo isn’t really about the cookie. It’s about celebrating something together.

The product is just the vehicle. The feeling is what people remember.

And that’s what New York has done so well during this Finals run. The city has turned fandom into a shared experience.

The best part is that most of these ideas aren’t complicated. They’re just timely and local.

One of my favorite examples has been Farm Cafe.

The café started adding Knicks-themed toppers to its drinks. A simple, but effective idea that I love.

Farm Cafe's Knicks-themed drinks eventually landed the café on Good Morning America, and because it's located just a mile from the Knicks practice facility, a few players including Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart stopped by.

And that’s just one example.

There’s vintage-style Knicks merch popping up at Mr. Throwback. Watch parties happening all over the city. A Knicks-themed stoop on the Upper East Side. Fanatics rolling through Manhattan with its fan wagon giving away shirts. A Knicks-themed subway station. Knicks cookies. Knicks watercolor paintings.

That’s the beauty of it. There’s something for everyone to find joy in.

@stoopandthecityYou know it's serious when The Stoop trades hydrangeas for basketballs. 🏀🧡💙 The Knicks are in the Finals and NYC is absolutely electric.

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And if you’re in San Antonio, the same thing applies. I mean, how cute would it be to walk into a local shop and get a Spurs-themed Texas stamp on your boots or your cowboy hat during the Finals?

The goal isn’t to copy New York. The goal is to create a version of this that feels uniquely Texan.

The best experiences aren’t necessarily the biggest ones. They’re the ones that feel authentic. New York is succeeding because it’s tapping into New York culture. San Antonio has an opportunity to do the same this week with Texas culture.

These are the kinds of moments people remember for years to come. They'll remember who they watched the games with, where they were and the stories that came from it.

That’s what makes moments like this so special.

And what brand wouldn’t want to be part of that?

Also, I know some people like to joke about “performative fans,” but honestly, I think that’s how fandom often starts.

Sports are one of the few things that can bring together people of different ages, backgrounds, and interests. The barrier to entry right now is surprisingly low. All you really need is a reason to care.

All of these examples are invitations to join the conversation and belong.

Sometimes that’s all it takes.

One watch party. A Knicks shirt. A team-themed cookie.

Before you know it, you’re checking scores, learning player names, and complaining about missed calls by the refs.

The best experiences don’t just serve existing fans.

They create new ones.

explore →

Happy (almost) NBA Finals. It’s been so fun watching the games, reading everyone’s content, and learning about the history behind each team and series.

The finals don’t actually start until June 3rd and with OKC & the Spurs heading into game 7, it genuinely feels like a toss up on who’s going to play against the Knicks next week. My hope is that the Spurs pull through so we get a Knicks vs. Spurs Finals, which would be a full history re-run from 1999 and honestly too poetic to ignore.

But regardless of who wins the western conference finals, watching the Knicks this postseason has been really special. To be fair, this is my first year consistently watching and as a Knicks fan (and VJ Maxx loyalist… can’t help it lol), you can really see how hard they have been fighting for this.

At the center of it all is the King of New York, Jalen Brunson, a 29 year old point guard who didn’t just grow up with hoop dreams, he grew up inside them. His dad, Rick Brunson played nine seasons in the NBA, hopping between eight different teams on unguaranteed contracts, never really getting the stability or the ending he deserved, but is now a proud father and assistant coach to the same team his son plays for and the same team he played for years ago. Crazy full circle moment.

But just because Jalen’s dad was an NBA player doesn’t mean his path was paved for him. If anything, from a young age, he watched what the grind really looked like and still had to go out and prove himself every single step of the way.

He went to Villanova where he won two NCAA championships, took home the Wooden Award, the Naismith Award (both celebrate the best college player of the year), and the Bob Cousy Award (Top Men's Collegiate Point Guard). He was also later named College Basketball Player of the Decade by Sporting News. By every measure he was one of the best college players of his generation.

And then draft night came. 32 players got called before him and he was picked 33rd overall.

For a player who had just collected nearly every major award in college basketball, being picked 33rd stings. That's 32 players called before you regardless of everything you gave and all of the accolades you received. It tells you exactly what the league thought of his ceiling from the very beginning. Too small. Too slow. The kind of player who can “succeed in college but probably won’t translate”. It seemed like critics thought he didn’t have the size or explosiveness that teams wanted. What he did have was everything that doesn’t necessarily show up on a measuring tape, but for a long time, the league consistently downplayed him.

Jalen spent his first four years in Dallas playing behind Luka Doncic, learning and working hard. But when his moment came during the 2022 playoffs with Luka sidelined, he showed up in a way that people started to notice. And Dallas had the chance to lock him in and didn’t so that summer, Jalen signed with the Knicks as an unrestricted free agent, choosing one of the most pressure filled, historically heartbroken fan bases in professional sports. Eventually, becoming the heartbeat of the franchise.

In hindsight, it’s easy to say that him reaching the NBA finals was inevitable because, well… we can see that he’s here now, but sometimes that’s the trap of looking backwards. Nothing about Jalen Brunson’s path was actually guaranteed.

I’m sure plenty of second round picks with great college careers disappear into the league and never find their moment. Plenty of “undersized” guards get labeled early and carry that label for the rest of their career. Plenty of players go to a pressure franchise like the Knicks and crumble under the weight of it.

What made it feel inevitable wasn’t talent alone, It was the combination of talent, character, timing, and choice. He had to choose the Knicks. The Knicks had to be ready to build around him. He had to stay healthy. He had to keep showing up in the big moments consistently enough that the city believed in him before the results fully proved them right.

So the better way to say it might be, it was inevitable only because of who he is, not because of what he had. A lot of people have talent, not everyone responds to pressure the way he does.

And now he has the Knicks in the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years.

The league doubted him at every turn. He just kept proving them wrong.

But here is where the story gets even more special.

27 years ago, Rick Brunson who didn’t become an NBA Champion now gets to stand on the sideline as an assistant coach watching his son lead the same franchise back to the biggest stage in basketball. While he didn’t get to win, he raised someone who has a chance to.

And regardless of what happens during the finals, it’s not just a sports story anymore. It’s a legacy story. It’s a father planting a seed he never got to see fully bloom. Rick doesn’t just have a son. He now has a second chance.

I’m convinced basketball has the most compelling storylines of any sport. Once you start looking into the players and the history behind them it’s almost impossible not to care.

And what I love most is that the lessons translate. We may not all face the amount of pressure athletes have, but it’s proof that the blessings God places on your life do not come without challenges. Your perspective matters through the journey. And your success also depends on how you look at your circumstances. Because if you’re not careful you’ll actually start to believe what people say about you. That you’re too small. That you’re not good enough. That your moment already passed. You’ll think the blessing you received is actually a curse.

It’s a reminder not to let those words become your story. Jalen Brunson didn’t and look where he is now.

27 years in the making for the franchise. His testimony arrived right on time.

And now, there’s only one thing left to do… finish the job! <3

wellness activity

• Journal your own testimony. write down one thing you were told you couldn’t do that you did anyway. keep it somewhere you can see it and let it remind you of what you are capable of.

  • if you feel like sharing, drop it in the comments. i would love to cheer you on <3

    

    Leave a comment

brand stuff

• Oura Ring x Knicks - oura just dropped a thinner, beautiful ring and i’ve been trying to convince myself i don't need it, but i do. if you know me you know i am a loyal oura ring girl despite its fitness tracking shortcomings. and apparently they have been an official knicks partner since 2023 which i just found out and feel like i should have known sooner.

out my cart

• Suri toothbrush - an eco-friendly toothbrush that comes with a UV-C cleaning case that removes 99.9% of bacteria in one minute. it's the kind of thing you didn't know you needed until you have it and then you can never go back.

• Cymbiotika Vitamin C Immune + Collagen Support Liposomal - i was sick last week (and one too many times this year) so i decided that i need to focus on building up my immune system. these taste so good and have helped with my recovery.

It’s officially the year of the underdog, especially when it comes to sports. If you were following the NBA playoffs, you’d know that the Sixers came back from a 3-1 deficit against the Celtics and ended up progressing to round 2. There’s something beautiful about a team that refuses to give up. If you missed that post, it’s below. There’s a ton of history behind that series that was incredible to watch.

But this weekend, I want to spotlight the Kentucky Derby, the most prestigious horse race in America, held every year in Louisville. Honestly, I had no clue what this was other than people dressing up in fancy hats, dresses and suits. It’s been running since 1875 and is known as “the most exciting two minutes in sports”. Twenty horses compete in a 1.25-mile race for a chance at the Triple Crown.

The Triple Crown is one of horse racing's biggest achievements (like a Super Bowl or NBA Champ). It requires a horse to win three core races in the same year - the Kentucky Derby (May 2), the Preakness Stakes (May 16), and the Belmont Stakes (June 6). Something only 13 horses in history have ever done.

What made this Derby unforgettable wasn't just that Cherie DeVaux became the first woman trainer to win. It was watching Golden Tempo and the jockey, Jose Ortiz surge from last place to first in the final stretch.

There’s something surreal about watching it unfold. It’s proof that even when you’re dead last, your race isn’t over. Things can change suddenly. One moment you’re at the back, wondering if you’ll ever catch up. The next, you’re crossing the finish line first.

Cherie DeVaux proves that an "overnight success" is never really overnight. The moment leading up to the win was something she had been preparing for for years. She's been training horses for over 20 years. She started at the bottom, mucking stalls and working her way up. She faced setbacks and rejection in an industry that's historically been dominated by men, but she kept showing up, running her own race, and trusting her process even when no one else believed.

Before 2026, only 19 horses trained by women had entered the Kentucky Derby in over 150 years. The odds were stacked against her, but she didn’t let that stop her from trying. You don’t enter a race knowing you’ll win. You enter for the chance to win. This is what happens when years of preparation meet the right moment. This is what stepping out on faith actually looks like.

This feels like God’s timing to me. Golden Tempo spent most of that race in last place. But when the moment was right, everything fell into place in seconds. He was exactly where he needed to be, exactly when it mattered.

Which has me thinking: we should honor our own tempo and stop worrying about being last. Stop watching who’s ahead. Find your opening. Run your race <3

Like Golden Tempo, your moment is coming, it’s just a matter of time.

other sporty stuff

• NBA semifinals: Knicks (2) vs. Sixers (0)- a battle of the east coast cities. knicks are in the lead!!

I’m sipping on an iced vanilla latte with oatmilk and wanted to share a bite-sized take on why underdog stories mean so much to me. This is my first year ever closely following the NBA playoffs and there are a lot of great series happening right now, but the one I couldn’t look away from was the series between the Sixers vs Celtics. Yesterday it closed out in the most unexpected, emotional, full circle way. A 3-1 comeback that no one anticipated.

I watched game 7 last night in my VJ Edgecombe Sixers shirt, eating cookie dough ice cream, tempted to turn the TV off as the score got close toward the end. That’s how much I wanted them to win, but I’m not here to break down the game or to talk about what went wrong or what went right. It isn’t really about analysis for me.

It’s about the fact that both teams showed up. Both teams competed. But only one of them carried something extra into each arena. A weight that’s been sitting on the sixers since 1982. No wins against the Celtics in the playoffs in over 40 years. That’s not just a stat, that’s a mindset that gets passed down. “They always beat us.” But somewhere in the middle of this series, that stopped being true.

And that’s the part that got me emotional. Not the score. The rewrite.

Because showing up is one thing, but showing up when you’re also trying to break a 40 year curse is another thing entirely.

And I want to give the Celtics their flowers too. They're a seed 2 team for a reason and there's a unique pressure that comes with being at the top and staying there. We all have bad seasons. For some teams that means not making the playoffs at all. For great teams, it means not advancing in the playoffs. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have never missed the playoffs in their careers, so losing in Round 1 is their version of a hard year. And even that is something worth acknowledging.

I think there’s something deeply wellness related about an underdog story. It’s not just physical, it’s the decision to believe before you have any evidence to support the belief. To quiet the noise of people constantly doubting you or maybe even the doubts you put on yourself and to stay present in a moment that feels impossible. That’s not just athletic, that’s a practice. And most of us have had to do a version of it at some point in our lives, whether or not anyone was watching.

The comeback mindset isn’t about pretending things are fine. It’s about deciding that the loss doesn’t have the final say, even after 40 years.

As a Sunday reflection, I’ll just ask you this. Where have you been carrying a loss so long it started to feel like who you are? And what would it mean to finally rewrite it?

It doesn’t have to be a championship moment. Sometimes the rewrite is a decision you make on a random Tuesday or the thing you go back to after walking away from it for years.

It’s the moment you stop letting an old story define what’s possible for you now.

Whether you’re a Sixers fan or not, I think most of us know the weight of a long losing streak in some area of life. And sometimes that starts to feel less like bad luck and more like just who you are. But there is something special when we decide that it doesn’t have to be.

That’s the comeback. That’s your rewrite.

I know for me, part of why I always root for the underdog is because I’ve always been one. And if the Sixers can break a 40 year curse on a random Saturday night in May, I think the rest of us can find a little hope in that too.

Now… if you’ll excuse me, I have to mentally prepare for Round 2 against the Knicks. I’m a New Yorker. This is going to be a stressful one. My family might actually disown me if I root for the Sixers again, but for now PLAY THE SONG!!

I get asked about my Oura ring so much that I felt like it was finally time to officially share a more detailed review.

At coffee shops, hair salons, work… one of the first questions is always “is that an Oura ring?” followed by “is it worth it?” So those are the two main questions I want to base this on.

And honestly, sometimes it makes me laugh because it also makes me wonder is it really that subtle if people can instantly tell I have one on? Or has it just become such a recognizable piece of tech that people know it when they see it?

What most people don’t realize is that it’s not just wellness tech. Oura is the official health wearable partner of the New York Knicks, with Jalen Brunson as a brand ambassador. So when I say this is about recovery, It’s cool to think that it also means the same kind that pro athletes are tracking.

For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, before I actually knew what the Oura ring was, I thought of it as a cute Apple Watch alternative. I wore an Apple Watch for years, especially for workouts, but I hit a point where I wanted something a little more low key. Slightly more “demure”. The apple watch aesthetics just weren’t doing it for me at the time, and the Oura ring immediately caught my attention.

But what actually pulled me in was sleep.

I wanted to get more serious about tracking my sleep and recovery, and wearing an apple watch to bed just wasn’t comfortable for me. The Oura ring felt like a better fit for that part of my routine.

At its core, the Oura ring is wearable tech that tracks your sleep, recovery, and overall readiness using a range of biometrics. You wear it all day and night, and because it sits on your finger, it’s able to collect really detailed data that translates into insights about how your body is actually doing.

It’s marketed toward people who want to understand their bodies better, especially when it comes to rest and recovery.

At the same time, while the aesthetics are definitely on point, it is still a pretty expensive piece of health tech ($300+), which is why I think so many people are curious, but hesitant to actually buy it.

And that’s before even getting into the fact that once you buy the ring, you’re also paying a monthly subscription for the full insights. It does add up, and I can definitely see how that turns people away.

But after wearing it consistently for two years, I wanted to share what’s actually been worth it, what hasn’t, and what I wish I knew before getting it.

sleep tracking

I love sleep. Like if it were a hobby, it would easily be my top one and this is where the Oura ring really stands out.

It breaks down how well you actually slept, not just how long you were in bed. Your readiness score, your sleep stages, how recovered your body feels going into the next day. It gives you a full picture.

It’s also just really comfortable to sleep in. Half the time I barely even notice it’s there, which was a big thing for me coming from the Apple Watch.

I would definitely recommend ordering the sizing kit first, because your hands can swell a bit, especially overnight, and you don’t want it to feel too tight when you wake up.

But sleep is the kind of insight that you’ll either love or something that might stress you out a little. Because now you know when you didn’t sleep well.

But for me, I actually think that awareness is important, especially when it comes to recovery.

health insights

There have been times where my Oura ring told me to slow down or shared that my body might be under intense strain, even when I didn’t fully realize it yet. It gives early signals when you might be getting sick, which is kind of crazy to me.

I don’t get sick too often, but the times I have, Oura actually picked up on it days beforehand.

It makes you a lot more aware of your body in a way that feels subtle but consistent.

It also tracks your daily stress levels, which is interesting because it can go both ways. It can either make you more aware of your stress, or make you more stressed lol. But it can also be a really helpful signal that you need to slow down or reset.

And reading into the many stories out there where Oura really stands out. People catching early signs of illness, even things like pregnancy before they realized it themselves. It just shows how powerful that kind of data can be when it’s actually used well.

@hunterwoodhallShould have known something was wrong when our family dog slept right next to me all night

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Spoken from the Olympian himself, Oura can be lifesaving for athletes too.

And just to give you a real look into what the data actually looks like, here’s my sleep score and stress. And yes, I’m giving you my best days, because if you saw my worst, my score might drop just from me typing this lol.

for the girls

If you pair Oura with the Natural Cycles app, it becomes really helpful for cycle tracking. It just adds another layer of understanding your body in a way that feels easy and integrated into your daily routine.

Women’s health is so important, and this just feels like a simple way to be more in tune with your body without overcomplicating it.

workouts, and where it falls short

This is probably my biggest downside.

I really thought the Oura ring could replace my Apple Watch, especially for workouts, but it just can’t. The workout tracking isn’t great, and it’s definitely not something I rely on.

For example, I’d ideally want to track my [solidcore] workouts and other activities in a detailed way, and it just doesn’t fully deliver on that yet.

It can pick up on general activity and give you a sense of movement, but it’s not the same as having real time metrics or detailed workout breakdowns.

So if you’re someone who cares about that level of detail or likes actively tracking your workouts while you’re doing them, you’ll still want to keep your Apple Watch or another device for that.

so, would i recommend the oura ring?

Short answer:
yes, for the right person

it’s 100% worth it if you are someone who:

• cares about sleep and recovery

• wants to understand your body on a deeper level

• prefers low effort, passive tracking

• values aesthetic + lifestyle fit just as much as functionality

This is where the Oura ring really shines.

It’s not trying to be everything, but it’s trying to be really good at helping you understand your body.

It’s probably not worth it if you:

• care a lot about workout tracking and performance metrics

• are hesitant about paying for both the ring and the monthly subscription

Because in those cases, you can just get an Apple Watch or equivalent workout or health tracker.

So, If you were thinking about getting an Oura ring, I hope this helped.

And Oura, if you ever read this one day… hire me because regardless of the shortcomings, I do genuinely love you.

You don’t need to be an expert to belong in sports, and I think more people need to hear that.

Picture this:

It’s a Saturday morning, you’re heading to a run club, matcha in hand, looking forward to having an active morning. Or maybe it’s Sunday, you’re on the couch with a game on in the background.

Maybe it’s something else entirely.

And honestly, if none of that matches what you think of when you hear “sports,” it actually doesn’t have to.

Because being part of the sports world doesn’t look one way.

It can be playing, watching, or just building a lifestyle around movement and being active in your own way.

And I think that matters more than we realize.

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Because for a lot of people, the hardest part isn’t interest, it’s access.

There aren’t many spaces that actually teach you how to get into a sport, how to follow it, understand it, or feel part of it. So most people assume it’s not for them.

But the truth is, you don’t really learn sports from a manual. You learn by being around it, watching it, by picking things up over time and by talking about it with other people. By being part of the environment, even if you don’t fully get it yet.

Also, sports fans are actually some of the most welcoming people. Every game I’ve been to, every person i’ve interacted with online, there’s always been someone willing to answer a question or explain what’s going on.

And that’s what I want this to be, a way in.

When the barrier to entry is low, people are more willing to try.

And once they try, they start to understand. They recognize players, follow storylines, get familiar with the game.

What starts as just showing up for the vibes slowly turns into real interest.

That’s how people become fans, not all at once, but over time.

Weekend Report isn’t traditional. I probably won’t ever be here breaking down stats or analyzing every play because I care more about the experience of it.

Like this year, I 100% plan on going to the US Open, trying the food, getting the iconic honey deuce cocktail, and walking through all the brand activations.

Do I know much about tennis? Not really, but I don’t really need to.

It’s proof you don’t need to know everything to be part of that.

Even knowing a little bit, like recognizing a player, following a team, understanding the basics, can open the door to connection with your friends, your family, even complete strangers.

It gives you something to talk about, share, and be part of.

Most of the time, I’m learning too, reading Substacks from people who actually know the game and picking things up as I go.

Like I enjoy watching basketball, but I still have to search “what’s a backcourt again?” (other than it being in the back of the court…?).

And somehow, I still ended up making sports one of the main topics of these letters.

I also think sports are meant to be experienced, kind of like wellness.

For some people, the two are one. But I hope Weekend Report is a reminder that living sports matters just as much as watching them.

There’s a whole world around it, and it’s just as interesting. I promise, sometimes it’s even more interesting than your reality TV show (I mean… remember the Luka Doncic trade situation?).

But anyway, you don’t need to know anything to wear a cute outfit and sip a honey deuce by a tennis court with your friends.

However you choose to show up, it still counts.

And if you’re already deep into sports (I admire you!), you definitely don’t need this. But if you want to learn a little more (or convince your friend to), I’m sharing a few resources below.

Simple intro videos for the NFL and NBA, these are very much for the girls, but honestly, they made learning funny and way more fun.

Feel free to send this to the person you’ve been trying to convince to go to a game.

And if you ever feel intimidated by the sports jargon, I’ll be saving you a seat (and a snack) at my table.

explore →

The way I’ve been missing football, you’d think I actually played it.

Sundays, (Monday & Thursday nights) were always a core part of my routine so without it, it feels like something is missing.

But, this weekend, we got a version of it back.

The Fanatics Flag Football game isn’t the NFL, but it carries pieces of it. It’s also a chance to see some of our favorite players on the same field, in different dynamics playing together in a way you normally wouldn’t across the 32 NFL clubs.

To me, it feels a little more relaxed, but still competitive enough to remind you what you’ve been missing.

It’s not the same, but it doesn’t have to be.

And seeing a super athletic roster, like Tom Brady and Jalen Hurts on the same team, makes you realize how rare it is to see talent like that share the field in that way.

Also Saquon and Odell. Players you’re used to watching in completely different contexts, now part of the same game.

Even seeing someone like iShowSpeed out there, who isn’t from the league but is clearly athletic in his own right, added another layer to it.

But specifically, seeing Odell’s one-handed catch in 2026 felt like a blast from the past.

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@nfl#odellbeckhamjr with the sick grab 😮‍💨 #nfl #joeburrow #jaydendaniels

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And watching him play in the flag football game reminded me of his career. For a second, I honestly thought he had retired. I’ve always associated him with the Giants, so seeing him out there again really brought me back.

From being drafted to the Giants to becoming one of the most recognizable players in the league, Odell basically had a very strong association with New York (and still does).

After his iconic one-handed catch during his rookie season, his name was everywhere. It wasn’t just a great play, it became part of the culture, and in a lot of ways, that moment accelerated everything in his career.

Kids started to look up to him, dye their hair blonde, and talk about the catch on recess. It felt like a movement.

But with that came a version of him people didn’t always understand.

He was emotional. You’d see it on the sidelines, sometimes even during the game. Odell had a ton of frustration, passion and intensity, but It didn’t always come across the right way, and it always became the headline.

It’s also hard to separate that from how much he cared. Two very high emotions on both ends.

When you love something that deeply, your emotions are going to show. Especially in a sport like football, where everything is physical, fast, and constantly under a microscope.

But at the same time, there’s something to be said about staying composed and regulated in those moments.

When the Giants traded him, it definitely changed how that chapter ended.

But moments like his one-handed catch don’t really belong to just one point in time. That play alone feels like a snapshot of a different era of football.

And I think that’s the part that sticks.

Not just the highlights, but the reminder that careers aren’t always clean or linear. You can be incredibly talented, widely celebrated, and still misunderstood.

And regardless of how everything played out, I still hope one day he gets to retire as a Giant.

Because maybe the past isn’t something you always have to outgrow or leave behind.

Maybe this time for OBJ, it’s something you come back to and each time, it looks a little different because you are.

OBJ edits

• Odell’s heart is in New York

• the OBJ movement

explore →

This has been one of the most meaningful sports moments of the year, so I wanted to dedicate this page of my scrapbook to Jalen Hurts.

I had the chance to meet him at his book signing in New York, and it felt like a full circle moment. Not just because of the meeting itself, but because of everything his story represents.

His career reflects resilience, discipline, and faith. Watching how he has navigated setbacks and doubt from the media while staying grounded has always been compelling to watch.

But what made this moment feel surreal was not just meeting someone worth admiring. It was recognizing how his journey mirrors so many of ours in different ways.

Jalen’s path to the NFL wasn’t straightforward. He started at Alabama, lost his starting position, and transferred to Oklahoma to prove himself. He was drafted in the second round, not the first. Many questioned whether he could lead at the highest level.

But he kept showing up. He became the Eagles’ starting quarterback, led them to the Super Bowl in 2023, and lost. The doubts got louder. The criticism intensified. People wondered if he had what it took to win.

He went back to work. Stayed disciplined. Stayed faithful. And in the 2024 season, he led the Eagles back to the Super Bowl and won.

His story isn’t just about talent. It’s about resilience, preparation, and refusing to let setbacks define the ending.

Similar to how Jalen has been doubted throughout his career, many people face their own share of rejection while chasing something meaningful.

But some seasons are not meant to define you. They are meant to prepare you.

Moments like this remind me that the path is rarely linear. The seasons that feel the most uncertain are often the ones positioning you for what comes next.

Meeting Jalen Hurts was an incredible moment, but the real takeaway for me was the reminder behind it.

Trust the season you are in. Trust the process, even when it feels uncomfortable. And trust that God may already be opening doors you cannot see yet.

If you have ever felt overlooked, underestimated, or unsure about what comes next, I hope this reminds you that your story is still unfolding.

And for anyone interested, the book Jalen was signing is called Better Than a Touchdown. While it is written as a children’s book, the message is something adults can learn from too. It tells a beautiful story about how we respond to challenges and setbacks. I loved the visuals and the reminder that resilience, humility, and faith are lessons worth learning at any age.

I’ll read it to my future kids one day <3

As always, go birds.

But the truth is that the sports world runs on an entire ecosystem of people behind the scenes.

And once you start noticing those roles, you realize how many different ways you can be part of the sports world.

While your career and your passions don’t have to always be one, I’ve been inspired by some of the people i’ve seen merge the two.

I’ve especially noticed it here on Substack. There are so many incredible sports writers sharing thoughtful analysis, storytelling, and perspectives on the games they love. It’s been really fun discovering new voices and seeing how many different ways people are building careers or passions around sports.

But that’s just one corner of culture.

From brand experience managers and social media teams to photographers and event operators, there are so many people helping shape the behind the scenes.

So I figured this week it might be cool to explore what a career in sports might look like.

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Brand Experience Manager

Sports teams and clubs are some of the most recognizable brands in the world. Every time fans walk into a stadium, watch a game, or interact with a team online, they’re stepping into that brand experience.

And that experience doesn’t just happen on its own.

There are people behind the scenes thinking about how everything feels for the fans, from the visuals and storytelling to the atmosphere on game day. It’s about creating something that makes people feel connected to the team.

When you think about it that way, sports are about so much more than the game itself. They’re about identity, community, and the moments fans remember long after the score.

I’ve been following Tianna Marie on social media, where she documents her dream job as a Brand Experience Manager for the Detroit Pistons. Earlier in the year, she shared a fan experience they created for kids, and it was honestly the cutest thing. It was such a great reminder that someone is actually designing those moments fans get to experience.

New York Knicks x New York or Nowhere x Chase also did something similar with Best Friends Night at MSG. They celebrated friendship and fan energy including a friendship bracelet giveaway.

Social Media Manager

Another role I’ve been noticing more lately is social media manager.

Sports have always been about community, but social media has completely changed how fans interact with teams. The conversation doesn’t just happen in the stadium anymore, it’s happening online all day long.

From game-day highlights and behind the scenes moments with athletes, social media teams help give fans a closer perspective even when they’re watching from home.

And when you think about it, those posts are often the things fans remember just as much as the games themselves.

@alexiskennedydaviswork can be fun sometimes :) #fyp #wnba #wnbaallstars

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Sports Photographer / Videographer

Some of the most iconic moments in sports aren’t just remembered because they happened, they’re remembered because someone captured them at exactly the right time.

From game winning celebrations to sideline reactions, photographers and videographers are constantly watching the game through a different lens.

In many ways, they’re the people responsible for documenting sports history as it unfolds.

And like a lot of the roles behind the scenes in sports, it’s a reminder that the culture around the game is built by so many people whose names we might not always know, but whose work we see every day.

And while those were some of the roles that really draw fans into the experience, they’re still just a small (but really important) part of how a team actually works.

Behind every game is an entire ecosystem of people making it happen, from operations teams and analysts to media staff and coordinators. It’s a reminder that sports aren’t just built by the athletes on the field, but by so many different roles working behind the scenes.

And of course, an honorable mention has to go to commentators, the voices we hear narrating the game as it happens. Someone joked that every broadcast should have one die-hard fan from each team in the booth instead.

Which honestly sounds hilarious… until you imagine what that would sound like during a rivalry game.

Anyway whether you’re on the field, behind the camera, running a team’s social media, or just watching from the stands, sports have a way of bringing people together.

And the more I learn about the world behind the game, the more it reminds me that there really is a place for everyone in sports.

And if you happen to be someone exploring that path right now, I came across a few interesting roles recently that show just how wide the sports ecosystem really is:

• Content Strategy Manager, NBA

• Player Engagement Manager, NFL

• Partner Management and Activation, MSG

• Sports Strategy Manager, Amazon Prime

• Network Analyst, NBA

Just a small reminder that the sports world is a lot bigger than what we see on the field.

in case you missed the first report, here it is:

Think of this as another page ripped from my sports and wellness scrapbook, except this week’s didn’t come from a game.

Recently, I’ve looked into Fernando Mendoza, a quarterback at Indiana, who gained attention for using LinkedIn to announce his intention to enter the 2026 NFL Draft.

I thought using LinkedIn was a smart and quirky move. It also makes sense given how strong the athlete to brand pipeline has become. Being an athlete today isn’t just about the game, it’s about the culture and partnerships that surround it. It’s a reminder that even at the highest level of competition, having opportunities outside of your main job can make a huge difference long term.

Fernando’s story is really special. A two-star recruit from Miami who chose Indiana to rewrite his narrative. He wasn’t the headline coming out of high school. He wasn’t the safe bet. He chose the harder path and became the first player in Indiana school history to win the Heisman Trophy.

That alone is historic.

What stands out even more is what he represents. Beyond the accomplishments, he carries himself like a true leader. Humble. Kind. Calm. Underdog stories remind us that doubt is not destiny.

I’m really excited to see where he lands in the draft later this year (likely No.1 overall pick).

He had an incredible season where he led his team to an undefeated National Championship, so I’m sure plenty of teams will have their eyes on him heading into the draft.

I came across this video of the letter his mom wrote him before a big moment in his college career <3

what i’m watching

It’s a very Philly sports weekend for me. I’ve been catching up on what changes the Eagles (Go Birds!) are making this offseason and thought this video Jason Kelce made about the new Offensive Coordinator was really interesting.

After last season’s struggling offense, he’s suggesting there might be more hope for the Eagles next year (so fingers crossed). This will also be Jalen Hurts’ 7th Offensive Coordinator in his NFL career… but hey, 7th time’s a charm?

On a final note, I just saw something about KD having a burner account?!

Bleacher Report posted this and while I’m admittedly out of the loop on nearly everything NBA right now, should I be using this as a quick recap?

in my cart

• classic VJ Edgecombe Tee

• Hatch alarm - i’ve have one for a while, but looking for an upgrade - improved my entire night-time routine

Anyway, in the meantime, I’ll be learning about the basics and positions in basketball

When we are younger it usually involves something like wanting to be an astronaut, a doctor, a singer, or for some of us, a professional athlete. It’s the kind of dream that feels really far away but somehow still possible when you’re 10.

Some of us change our dreams along the way, but others know exactly what they want to be from the very start.

Neither path is better than the other, but going all in on your dream takes an undeniable belief in yourself and in God.

Walking by faith and not by sight is part of the anatomy of a dream, and we see it time and time again in the world of sports.

Becoming an athlete takes a special kind of mindset. They keep going even if they want to give up. They believe in something long before there is any proof that it will work out.

For many of them, there simply is no Plan B.

I was never really an athlete growing up. I mean, I was technically on my high school track team for like three days before I quit (does that even count?).

Anyway, in an effort to honor my teenage dreams, I bought a pair of Brooks and am finally going to start running (the NYC Marathon videos last year really got to me).

It also made me realize that we do come back to some dreams, even if they look different the second time around.

Athletes are just built different. They go all in, even when the path is uncertain.

Which is why I found myself going down a bit of a YouTube rabbit hole and came across a channel called The Anatomy of a Dream.

The video explains the “Speed Paradox,” where trying to accelerate success actually slows you down in the long run. It usually comes from feeling behind or pressured by what you see online, which I think a lot of us can relate to.

It also introduces the idea of starting with the smallest possible version of your dream. Not the final form, not the polished end result, just something that works. It’s called the Minimum Viable Product, or MVP, which is basically permission to start before you actually feel ready to.

From there, we’re introduced to the “Success Loop,” which is just:

1. Start

2. Fail faster

3. Pivot

Take action, learn from what did not work, and adjust. Skipping any part of that loop can trap you in a “Speed Trap,” whether that looks like forcing something that is not working, constantly changing direction without learning anything, or overthinking to the point where you never start at all.

Dreams rarely fail because of one big mistake. They usually fail because we try to sprint through something that was always meant to be built slowly.

And we see this play out with athletes all the time.

Jalen Hurts was benched on the biggest stage of his college career, made it the league, got to the Super Bowl, lost and was ridiculed publicly. There were plenty of moments where he could have given up, but instead he kept showing up, adjusting, and working through adversity until he eventually made it back to the Super Bowl and won.

Simone Biles stepped away from competition at the height of her career when her mind was not fully aligned with her body during the Olympics. For someone whose entire dream was built around precision and control, that moment could have easily felt like the end. Instead, she took the time she needed and came back stronger.

It takes courage to rise after you fall.

And there is a common thread in all of these stories that brings me back to the “Success Loop.”

None of these athletes rushed the process. They started. They failed. They adjusted. And they kept going.

They did not try to accelerate success just because they felt behind. They trusted the process even when the outcome was uncertain.

And while running was never necessarily the dream for me growing up, I want to prove to myself that I can do it now.

Maybe the dream you have now is not the same one you had when you were ten. Maybe it’s something new, or something you are coming back to after years of putting it off.

Either way, I think there is something powerful in starting where you are and allowing yourself to believe that it is possible.

And while most of us are not training for the Olympics or the Super Bowl, I think there is something we can take from that.

Sometimes the anatomy of a dream is simply starting.

Think of this as me ripping a page out of my weekly sports scrapbook and sharing it with you <3

Ever since I was younger, sports have been the thread that connected me with my family. From watching my brothers play 2K or watching the All Star games together, my love for sports only grew stronger with time.

To me, it’s an entire lifestyle where community and a love for the game connect. Sports show up in the way we spend time together, what we talk about at dinner, and what we watch on socials.

Weekend Report is my way of keeping track of everything I’m learning about the game and the world surrounding it, from cultural moments to business moves to the little things that make being a fan feel personal.

As I keep up with the sports world, I wanted to share what’s been catching my attention along the way :)

Share

all over my timeline

Now that the NFL season is officially over, I need to find a new sport to lock into. Besides it being a weekend of love, it was also NBA All Star Weekend, (which is basically the same thing). I’ve been catching up on socials from the games to the contests, it felt like the entire sports world was tapped in.

• VJ Edgecombe was the rising stars MVP - love VJ, he’s just such a likable player !!!

• Anthony Edwards was the all star MVP - love this for him

• Knicks won the shooting stars competition

edits

genuinely cannot skip a sports edit when it comes across my timeline.

• The generator !!! -bringing this one back to the surface, his edits never get old to me :)

• “aka Ant Man, your favorite hoopers favorite hooper” 🔥

brand stuff

• Kith x NBA All Star 2026 Collection - really love the vintage tees from this drop. Kith always has really nice pieces.

• Jordan Brand x Levi’s - feels like a nostalgic partnership - what do we think about it?

• Nike x Skims - love the baby pink pieces. this feels like a merge of pilates princess and athlete off duty.

  

in my cart

• Forme - designed by an orthopedic surgeon to improve posture and musculoskeletal health.

  • apparently Taylor Swift used this to prep for a tour so let’s see if it’s worth it.

If there’s anything I learned from this week besides understanding what a backcourt is (lol), it’s that following the game is just as much about the culture around it as it is about what happens on the court.